While it is true that homoeopathy cannot set a broken leg, it is equally true that while a surgeon can set a broken leg, that is as far as his surgery can go. He must then depend on nature for the rest. There is where surgery and medicine are dependent on each other.
Thus the imperative necessity for the surgeon to study his materia medica. Any surgeon who feels it beneath his dignity to attend the materia medica bureaus is his own worst enemy. While there is nothing new in the following, the average surgeons therapeutics are disgraceful, and a rehash will prove beneficial to him as well as to all of us.
For wounds in general Ledum seems to be the leader, then follow Apis, Arn., Lach., Phos., Puls, Staph. and Sulph-ac.
ACONITE: should not be forgotten for the sudden nervous shock and tension engendered therefrom, with its agonized tossing about, and fear of death.
APIS: is especially useful in penetrating wounds, and wounds from stabs, splinters, dissecting, and the bites of poisonous animals, that are painful. Where the parts puff, the pains like bursting, < heat and > cold applications. The swollen parts, sore, bruised as if pounded, even more so than Arn., and should be thought of should Arn. fail.
ARNICA: is especially useful in bruises. Wounds that bleed freely. Cuts. Wounds from splinters. Wounds that produce meningitis, provided there is no complete want of reaction; when suspecting exudation of fibrin pus or blood, great sopor, paralysis of tongue, eye muscles, iris or limbs. hastens absorption of haemorrhage into conjunctiva or retina. Sprain of ankle (see Led.).
The traumatic par excellence: prevents pyaemia. Simple bruises with well marked ecchymosis. Gangrene appearance of contused wounds. Tumors following bruises, like Bellis-p. Do not apply to torn wounds, use Calend. instead. Sprains with much swelling, very sore and bluish red. Injury followed by neuralgia, like Hyperic., < motion, pain sharp as from a nail.
For those who are extremely sensitive to an injury, mechanical. Prevents suppuration. Contusions without laceration, Calend. with. Compound fractures with their suppuration. Fractures swell, tumefy, muscles twitch. Often prevents need for morphine if given right after an operation, especially for double ovariotomy with complications. In all cases the flesh feels sore as if pounded, bed feels hard as a rock, is more or less morose, indifferent, fear of being approached.
CALENDULA: is very useful for lacerations and cuts. Open wounds will heal perfectly under its use and leave no constitutional effects. One part to four or six makes a splendid soothing application and keeps the wounds free from the air that is an irritant to the raw surface. If no other remedy is needed or indicated the CC. will, if given internally, expedite matters.
CICUTA: is especially useful for wounds: from splinters; and that bring on convulsions. Effects of injury to skull; while there seems to be no trouble in the injured part, there may be compression, and the pain be in distant parts. Mind and head symptoms after an injury, like Natr-s. Troubles arising from shaving. Injury to throat, with choking, which prevents examination.
HEPAR: is especially useful in wounds slow to heal; wounds from splinters; wounds where the pains throb and stab, with general rigor; pains jag like sticks and often cause fainting. Hastens suppuration, like Sil.; suppurates out foreign bodies and broken needles, and bullets, especially when embedded in parts too dangerous to operate. In all cases oversensitiveness to touch and cold, ill tempered, sweat easily, etc.
HYPERICUM: is especially useful in lacerated finger ends or if crushed, wounds that are painful; penetrating wounds of soles and palms. Here it differs from Led. in degree of pain and the pain running up the limb, and Led. is a more general remedy and has more of the bruised feeling of Arn.
Small wounds that swell up, do not tend to heal, edges look dry, shiny, red, inflame, burn, tear. Injury to coccyx, pain runs up spine. The lockjaw preventive par excellence. Three persons were injured in an accident, one an eye knocked out, the other skull cracked, the third badly bruised. Were told at the hospital that if they did not take antitetanus serum they could not possibly escape lockjaw. They refused, sent to us for Hyperic. They made a record recovery, had no lockjaw, and surprised the surgeons.
LACHESIS: is especially useful in wounds that bleed profusely where the blood is dark and will not coagulate, the wounds slow to heal. Also useful for the constitutional effects of wounds. All are extremely sensitive to touch, purple in color and < after sleep.
LEDUM: is a leader for wounds, the constitutional effects and penetrating wounds in general and of the palms and soles in particular. It has a peculiarity apparently unknown to other remedies in that the wound is apt to become cold. Crushed and lacerated finger ends, like Hyperic., but the latter should be used at once if the pains streak up the arm. Wounds: sting; from splinters; that bleed scantily, followed by pain, puff, parts cold. Has much of thee bruised soreness of Arn., and Apis. Prevents lockjaw from punctured wounds if given early, but look at once to Hyperic. should the pain streak up the limb. Almost a specific for sprained ankle. Dont forget the CC potency in that “black eye”.
NITRICUM ACIDUM: is especially useful in penetrating wounds, slow to heal, with stinging pains. Dont forget the urine.
PETROLEUM: is especially useful in wounds slow to heal, in persons with very offensive sweat in axilla and of feet, prone to eruptions that exude a sticky watery fluid.
PHOSPHORUS: is especially useful for wounds that bleed profusely, the blood bright red, in contradistinction to Lach. Also for the constitutional effects. Said to prevent the vomiting from chloroform.
SILICIA: is especially useful for wounds that are slow to heal. Suppurates out splinters and bullets. Dont forget those offensive sweaty feet and axilla, like Pet. but has not the herpetic constitution of Pet.
STAPHYSAGRIA: is especially useful for clean cut wounds, painful. Wounds: that sting: from stabs or splinters; for the constitutional effects; that look unhealthy, pains stings and burn, it will make granulations come immediately. Stretched sphincters.
STRONTIUM CARBONATUM: is especially useful after a surgical operation where there has been much cutting, great prostration, coldness, oozing of blood, breath almost cold (reminds one of Carb-v.).
SULPHUR: is especially useful in wounds slow to heal. Wounds that bleed freely. When the sulphur characteristics are present.
SULPHURICUM ACIDUM: is useful for cuts, and the constitutional effects of wounds in people inclined to exhaustion, irritability and having a hurried feeling.
